As wedding season is fast approaching us, have you been given the almighty job of organising your best mate’s stag do? Rightly so, this probably feels like a BIG deal!
But don’t fret. With an established stag do planning checklist by your side, you’ll have everything you need to throw a party that he’ll never forget.
So sit back, get a coffee (or beer), get your notepad out and begin working your way through our stag party planning checklist.
Speak To the Groom
First things first, you should have a quick initial chat with the groom. Before anything you’ll need to find out if there are any dates you need to avoid, who he’d like to be involved in the planning process, and of course, who to invite.
You could also have a brief chat regarding the types of activities he’d enjoy, (or wouldn’t enjoy), and any of his favourite destinations before you book that trip with TUI. However, be cautious not to give too much information away, (what’s a stag do without a few shocking surprises anyway?!).
Set a Date
One of the most important things to decide on is a date! This will determine everything else that follows, such as which accommodation and activities you can book through Ticketmaster for the dates you choose – so it’s important that you choose a date early and stick to it.
You could try to make the party as accessible as possible to everyone by offering a selection of 2 or 3 date options for people to choose from. Make sure any dates are suitable for all members of the groom's party, and then share the dates with the rest of the guests and choose the one that wins the highest majority of votes.
Communicate
If you’ve ever tried to organise a lad’s holiday before, you’ll know it’s not the easiest thing to do! The best way to keep everyone organised and ensure most people are able to make it is by communicating throughout the entire process.
As part of the groom’s party, you should set up another group chat that includes all of the guests so that you can keep everyone in the loop with little effort needed.
For something a little more professional, you may want to send out physical invites to all of the guests. A good option for this whilst keeping within budget is by creating your own handmade invitations with supplies from Craft Stash.
Don’t forget to also give everyone a clear timeline of when they need to RSVP by and for payment collections.
Decide on a Budget (and stick to it!)
Before you can start inviting people, you need to have a good idea of the budget you’re going to be expecting people to pay.
Consult with the rest of your friends on what you feel is a reasonable expectation of money for people to pay, and calculate exactly what the budget needs to be spent on. Here are some of the top items you should add to your budget checklist:
- Travel
- Accommodation
- Communal food and drink
- Accessories and decorations
- Games
- Activities or tickets for events
It’s important to get organised without restricting yourselves, you can still have an absolutely awesome stag do on a budget!
Choose Your Venue
You’ll probably already have a good idea from early discussions with the groom and the groom’s party – but now it’s time to choose the exact details for the stag do.
Decide on whether you’re going to have a destination event, or something a little closer to home. Either way, you’re going to need to decide on a venue and get it reserved as early as possible.
Think About Transport
Booking your transport in advance can save you a huge amount of your all-important beer money!
If you’re going relatively local, then a minibus or train could be a good, low-cost transportation option.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to catch a flight somewhere, then you can generally find the best deals by looking early. Use price comparison sites such as Skyscanner to help you find the best prices on flights.
Book Your Hotel
Your hotel, Air bnb or rental home will likely play a key role in your stag weekend.
You may need somewhere that you’re able to decorate for one of the evenings to host your party so it’s important that you choose the best type of accommodation for your needs. Check out sites like Apartments4you where you will find accommodation in various locations at bargain prices.
Plan Your Activities
Probably the most exciting part of all, it’s time to decide on activities and events for the stag do!
Are you looking to attend a festival or event? Or perhaps a weekend away with a house party and night out on the town? Or what about an experience day which you can book through Red Letter Days. Either way, there are loads of activities that you need to consider.
If you’re looking to attend an event of some sort, then make sure to check out coupon codes for events beforehand. Or if there’s a house party involved, then don’t forget to buy (plenty) of alcohol and food. You should look online for deals on bulk ordering.
Decide On a Theme
A theme and fancy dress is an absolute must for any stag do, especially for the groom! And with a great theme, of course, comes great decorations and outfits…
Decorate the Venue
Once you’ve decided on a theme, now it’s time to make it look the part with lots of decorations and accessories. Think balloons, and funny pictures and banners.
And to keep it within budget, don’t forget that there are plenty of decoration coupon codes that you can take advantage of.
Dress Up
Order any fancy dress or custom clothing for the groom and the guests to wear from sites like Fancy Dress Worldwide. Custom matching t-shirts are always a winner for the first day and travelling part of any stag do. And then don’t forget to have a horrendous outfit ready to surprise him with at night!
PARTY!
So now all that’s left to do is to have FUN!
Ensure all the final preparations are in place. Let the groom know where he needs to be and when. Make sure all the guests are there ahead of time. And now it’s time to let your hair down (you’ve definitely earned it!).
